Antwerp (The brussels Morning Newspaper): Antwerp officials found fake garbage bags in Brederodewijk linked to organized crime. The city plans legal action to improve waste management and advises residents to check prices for authenticity.
In the Brederodewijk area of Antwerp the police city supervisors and the neighborhood director checked for illegal dumping problems. They found fake household waste bags during the inspection. People are using these fake bags to avoid following waste disposal rules which causes trash to be thrown away incorrectly. There are still issues with managing waste in that area. The fake bags have been taken away and now the officials are looking into where they came from. They want to find out who made and spread these fake bags. By doing this they hope to stop more misuse and make sure that people dispose of waste correctly which will help make waste management better in the Brederodewijk area.
How are fake garbage bags disrupting waste management in Antwerp?
The fake garbage bags keep causing problems in the Antwerp province. About three months ago they found fake bags in Mechelen and this issue has happened several times in Antwerp city too. Fake bags are being spread in different places affecting how waste is handled. The police are finding it hard to tell if the fake bags are made by new people or if old fake bags are still being used. This makes it tricky to figure out where the fake bags are coming from and how to solve the problem well. The investigation is trying to find out where these fake bags come from and stop more fraud in how waste is disposed of.
Usually it’s not just individuals making fake garbage bags at home. it’s organized criminal groups doing it. Els van Doesburg who is in charge of city and neighborhood upkeep says these gangs are making money from making and selling fake bags. The issue is serious enough that the city is considering taking legal action. The city of Antwerp is taking legal action against these criminal groups because the fake bags are causing money problems. These gangs are messing up the proper waste disposal system which affects the city’s services and reduces the money they get from real waste management fees. The city is fighting back by using the law to make these criminal groups pay for their actions and stop more financial losses.
It has been said that to spot fake garbage bags you need to check the price. The scammers sell them for less than the official price to trick people. In Antwerp a pack of 10 big 60-liter bags costs 11 euros everywhere. If you pay less than that it’s fake. Also fake bags are usually poor quality and tear easily.
